United Nations Authorities Underscore the Urgency of Supporting the Development of Landlocked Developing Countries with Concrete Actions
(June 11, 2019) The Midterm review meeting of Latin American countries preparatory to the comprehensive high-level midterm review of the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024 began today at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile with an urgent call by senior representatives of the United Nations and of various countries to accelerate progress on the priorities established for supporting, with concrete actions, the implementation of this Programme of Action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in these nations.
African landlocked countries and partners call for action to overcome challenges to sustainable development
Senior government officials and experts from landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), transit developing countries and development partners meeting in Morocco have called for stronger regional cooperation on transit policies and greater support in areas including connectivity in transport, energy and information and communication technologies infrastructure, export diversification, value addition and trade facilitation.
The two-day Africa regional meeting on the Midterm Review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA), jointly organized by the office of the High-Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Islands developing States (UNOHRLLS) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), identified progress and challenges in the implementation of the VPoA in the region, shared best practices and innovative approaches.
The first regional meeting on the Mid-term Review of the Vienna Programme of Action concludes in Bangkok
Senior government officials and experts from landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), transit developing countries and development partners, concluded in Bangkok, Thailand, a Euro-Asian regional meeting on the Mid-term Review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA), identifying progress and challenges in the implementation of the VPoA in Europe and Asia.
The two-day meeting, jointly organized by the office of the High-Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Islands developing States (UN‐ OHRLLS), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), took stock of the implementation of the VPoA in Euro-Asia, identified and shared best practices and innovative approaches to accelerate the implementation of the VPoA and adopted an outcome document highlighting recommendations to overcome the challenges faced by the Euro-Asian LLDCs.
The midterm review of the Vienna Programme of Action kicks off with Ministers of LLDCs calling for improved trade, transport and economic opportunities
The event highlighted the importance of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and marks the start of a preparatory process for the comprehensive high-level midterm review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) to be held in 2019. The midterm review will provide an opportunity to review the progress that has been made in the implementation of the VPoA, a programme recognized as an integral part of the 2030 Agenda.
A new Declaration that calls for improved transport, promotes economic transformation and better trade was adopted at this meeting, to better integrate these countries into the global trading system, especially that they continue to face many challenges including lack of territorial access to the sea, isolation and remoteness from world markets and high transport and transit costs which impose serious constraints on their overall socio-economic development and trade competitiveness.
World leaders adopt ambitious 10 year action-plan for landlocked developing countries
USG Acharya at the LLDC conference in Vienna, Austria
The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a 10 year action-plan aimed at accelerating sustainable development in the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries. The action-plan was put together in Vienna, Austria, where Heads of State and senior representatives from governments and international organizations gathered from 3 – 5 November at the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries.
Read:
The Vienna Programme of Action
Linking Landlocked Countries to Global Opportunities
An overview of progress made by the world’s 32 Landlocked Developing Countries since the adoption of the Almaty Programme of Action in 2003. The video features interviews with the Foreign Minister of Austria, USG Gyan Chandra Acharya and the Permanent Representative of Zambia to the UN and was played at the opening of the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, 3-5 November 2014.
Landlocked Navigators. Photo by Fátima Villasboa Maidana
Photo exhibition from Landlocked Developing Countries
UN-OHRLLS is delighted to share photographs from our Bordered by Borders photo call, which attracted over 500 photo entries from around the world – showcasing the rich cultural heritages, natural landscapes and communities who live in Landlocked Developing Countries.